Fruit orientating and selecting mechanism



Feb. 18, 1941. E, w, CARROLL,

FRUIT onmumwme AND 'snmacwme. uscmmsm Original Filed June 1, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTDR EHSWOIETH Wflmtou Feb. 18, 1941. E. w. CARROLL FRUIT ORIENTATING AND SELECTING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 1, 1938 I/v VENTOE ELLSWOETH W CA EROLL 5;

qhmgg ATTOENEYJ:

HHH UH- HMH T 7N Feb. 18,1941. CARROL 2,232,210

. FRUIT ORIENTATING AND SELECTING MECHANISM Original Filed June 1, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 {Q g v INVENTOR' E ELLJWOETH WUARROLL BY I a m 0e? ATTORNEY;

Feb 1941- E. w. CARROLL V FRUIT QRIENTATING AND SELECTING MECHANISM Original Filed June 1 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ELLJWORTH WGQRROLL ?atented Feb. i 8,. 1941 STATES FRUIT GRIENTATING AND SELECTING MECHANISM Ellsworth W. Carroll, San Francisco, Calif., as-

signor to S 8: W

Fine Foods, Inc., San

Francisco, Calif., a, corporation of California Original application June 1, 1938, Serial No.

211,140. Divided and this application November 13, 1939, Serial No. 304,110

Claims.

My present invention relates to orientators. and in the present embodiment more particularly to fruit .orientators.

This application is a division of my co-pending applicationfor United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 211,140, flied June 1, 1938, entitled Full automatic orientator.

when pitting fruit such as peaches, cherries, or the like, by machine it has heretofore been necessary to orientate the fruit manually.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a full automatic machine which will take the fruit from ahopper (where the fruit 'is poured in haphazardly)-, orientate the stem indent to a predetermined position in relation to the machine and deliver the fruit to a pitting machine in this same predetermined relative position.

Another object is to provide a machine which will in addition to the above, inspect the fruit for proper orientation, reject the non-orientated fruit and deliver the properly orientated fruit as til above.

Another object is to provide a machine which will in addition to all the foregoing, orientate the seam which is characteristic of such fruit as peaches and apricots, inspect the fruit for prop-.

erly orientated seams, reject the fruit having non-orientated seams and deliver the orientated fruit to a pitting machine with the seam and stem indent in proper position (relative to the machine) for pitting.

Another object is to provide a machine which will sever the tips from fruit such as peaches.

Another object is to provide a hopper which will insure an extremely slow but absolutely uniform delivery of contents and more especially when the contents are non-rigid bodies such as fruit.

'Another object is to provide an invention which will be equally well adapted to orientatingfruit to a vertical, horizontal, or to any other position 'of' the major axis of the fruit, thereby making this invention practical for use on any type of pitting machine.

Other objects and advantages will be evident to those skilled in this art.

The mechanism to be first described is particularly adapted for use with that type of pitting machine having a reciprocating feed bar pushing the fruit along a track consisting of two knife-like guideways embedded in the meat of the fruit, and in which the fruit is held with its major axis (that is, a line wsing through the blossom end and the stem end) in a horizontal position while removing the pits.

The mechanism shown for severing the tips and locating the side seams of such fruit as peaches would obviously be omitted when building a machine to orientate fruit which does not have such characteristics, without departin from the spirit of this invention.

I will later on describe a mechanism more particularly adapted to orientate fruit to a stem downward position, and to inspect for proper orientation in this position.

- The changes necessary to the mechanism shown to orientate fruit to any other relative position are comparatively simple and will be readily understood by those skilled in this art.

For a better understandingof the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown by way of i1- lustration and not of limitation, preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of this machine with the front wall removed.

Fig. 2 shows a top or plan view of this machine, but with the extreme upper superstructure removed.

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view'showing those parts which were removed from Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical view taken at lines IVIV of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station D for orientating the stem indent to a horizontal plane. I

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical view taken at lines V-V of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station E, for orientating the stem indent to the shown position.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical view taken at lines VI-VI of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station G, to inspect for proper orientation. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical view taken at linesVII-VII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station H, the exit station.

Fig. 8. shows in perspective a unit of three fingers of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 shows the preferred construction for the periphery of rollers made from material having a smooth or slick surface.

Fig. 10 shows an enlarged view of the ends of 55 the two fingers which ride the peach to detect the seam.

Fig. 11 shows an alternate construction of the orientating means.

Fig. 12 shows an alternate type of inspection and rejection means.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings ||i designates generally a housing within which and upon which the operating parts of the orientating mechanism are mounted.

The housing I5 is secured to and supported by the pitting machine, a part of which is shown at H in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1: Journaled within the pitting machine and extending into the orientator is the drive shaft l2, having secured thereon the sprocket l3 which drives theendless chain l4 having attachment links l5 which carry the plates l5.

Referring now to Fig. 2: The plates |5-|5 are provided with pivots 1-|1 for the tongs |5|8 which are biased inwardly by the O- shaped spring I9 and provided withinterlocking gear segments 25 to insure uniform centralizing action'of the concave faces which contact the fruit 2|.

In Fig. 1 the housing I5 is provided with bearings for the shaft 22 which carries the sprocket 23 for the return of the chain H, which then passes through the hopper 24 in the direction shown by the arrow which has an oscillating bottom 25, hinged thereto at 25. This oscillating bottom is adjustable for length and secured at the desired length by screws 21.

The housing III is also provided with bearings for the shaft 28 having secured thereto the pulley 29, the eccentric 30 and the sprocket 3|, all of which are -rotated by the chain l4.

The cylindrical bristle brush 32 is secured to the shaft 33 which is joumaled in the housing I0- and driven by the tight pulley 34, which is in turn driven by the belt 35 from the pulley 29. The eccentric 30 is journaled in the eccentric strap 35 which is pivoted at 31 to the hopper bottom 25, thus oscillating the latter. The hopper 24 is also provided with a stationary bottom 38. i

It is well known to everyone who has attempted to secure a slow and uniform feed of fruit (or other non-rigid bodies) from the bottom of a hopper, that the chief difficulty tobe overcome is the fact that after the first few fruits or objects have left the hopper, the remaining fruit will be found. to have formed an arch over the exit, thus stopping the fiow. To overcome this objection,

the oscillating bottom 25 is provided to agitate the fruit just enough to prevent these arches being formed. It is also found necessary to provide a space where a few fruits can ride the exiting means (the tongs l5 in this case) free of any superimposed fruit, this space providing a reserve supply of fruit to fill any empty openings, in case the crowding or superimposed weight at the extreme bottom of the hopper prevent filling all openings in the exiting means at the extreme bottom point.- As the tongs I5 are carried through the hopper 24 they are held open by a stationary cam track 39Fig. 2 (which forces the ends of the segments 25 inwardly, thus separating the tongs |8), to receive a peach 2|-A in Fig. l, the track 39 being secured to thehopper bottom all surplus fruit being brushed movement by the collars 4|, and the pulleys 42 afiixed thereto. The gear housings 43-44 are journaled on the shafts 40 and are free also for axial movements thereon. Within each housing 43-44 is a pair of spiral gears (not shown).' One of these spiral gears is slidably mounted on the vertical shaft 45 which has a sliding keyway so as to revolve the gear with the shaft 45, but yet permit of a free axial movement. This first gear meshes with and drives its mate which is secured to the shaft 45, which is journaled in the housings 43 and 44 and in the fork 43-A which is a part of the respective housings. The shaft 45 has fixed thereon the roller 45 which is preferably made of sponge rubber. Should it be desirable to use some other material, especially a material having a smooth surface, a serrated face is recommended (such as is shown in Fig. 9).

The housings 43 and 44 are provided with the slidably mounted stems 41 and with coiled compression springs 49 which are just strong enough to give the desired pressure on the fruit.

A thin, narrowcurved knife is shown at 49, suspended by the upwardly extended arms 59 and pivoted at 5| to the frame 52 and having outwardly extending fingers 53 and also provided with comparatively light tension springs 54 to bias the two knives 49 against the fruit so that when the fruit is revolved by. the rollers 45 all protruberances will be cut off.

A'plurality of tip cut-off knives 49 is preferable, because the radius of the knives being fixed while the radius of the fruit varies, therefore the shorter the cutting edge of the knife 49 is, the less noticeable will be the result of this difi'erence in radii. SeeFlg. 2.

Secured to the frame 52 l are the stems 55 which are slidably mounted in the top frame 55, and which'have the upper ends bifurcated and pivoted at 51 to the bifurcated ends of the lever 55;"best shown in Fig. 3. The link 59 in Fig. '5 is pivoted at 55 to the frame 55 and at 5|.to the lever 58, the latter being pivoted at 52 to the connecting rod 53, which is pivoted at the lower end at 54 in Fig. 5 to the lever 55 which is secured to the shaft 55 which is suitably mounted for oscillation in the, brackets 51 of the housing HI. This shaft 66 will be further described later on.

In Fig. 4 the quill 55 is mounted to slide freely on the stem 41 and in the frame 55, with a collar 59 to halt the downward travel in the position shown. The quill 59 has a suitable mounting at the lower end for a series of radially mounted oscillating fingers 15 which are pivoted at 1| and provided with 9. lug 12 fitted tp engage the disc 13 which is secured to the extensions of the frame 52. (See also Fig. 3.)' The lower end of the fingers 10 are rounded off and smooth, to freely ride the peach 2|, and are held in engagement with the peach by the counterweights 14.

The fingers 15 are arranged radially to contact one half the periphery of the peach 2| on the horizontal c'enterline at regularly spaced intervals, and are preferably arranged in groups of three fingers per unit as follows:

In Fig. 8 the counterweights 14 of the center member of the unit has secured thereto two electrical contact bars 15, but electrically insulated therefrom by the non-conductors 15. The coun-.

' ment of the fingers I such as'is'caused by any one of the three fingers 10 of that unit dropping into the stem indent will establish an electrical circuit. Thebars I5 are provided with electrical conductors I0, which are joinedtogether and led to the electro-magnet I9, Fig. 4, which has a conductor which-connects with any suitable source of electricity, which source is also grounded to the housing III in order to complete the circuit. The conductor-80 is also provided with a switch (not shown) controlled by the pitting machine II for interrupting the current while the chain I4 is being advanced, as will be described later. I

Referring to Fig. 4, the link 8i suitably connecting the two housings 43-44 through the medium of the lever 82, which is pivoted at 03 on the bracket 84 of the housing I0, with a slot sliding on the pin 86,.which is secured to the fork 43-A, forms an equalizing gear, which is common to each pair of the gear housings 4344. The lever 81 is secured to the shaft 66 and bifurcated at the opposite end so as to engage the collar 88, and thus provide means for separating the housings 43 and 44 as the lever 81 is moved downward.- Fig. 1 shows the electro-magnet I9 having suitable brackets 89 andbeing attached to and supported by the housing I0.

In Fig. 5 the armature is fixed to the rod 9| which is slidably mounted in the housing I0 and provided at the lower end with a shifting fork 92 which is rotatably engaged with the groove 93 of the sliding clutch member 94, which is slidably keyed to the shaft 95. The sliding clutch member 94 is provided with a cone clutch face at 96 which engages a mating clutch face secured to the pulley 01 which is journaledin the bracket 98 extending from the housing I0. The upper end of the sliding member 04 forms a conical brake 99 with the mating member secured to the,

housing I0. The sliding clutch member 94 is held in clutch driving engagement by gravity as long as the electro-magnet I9 is not energized.

In Fig. 5 the hollow conical cup I00 is secured to the stem IOI, which is slidably journaled in the frame 56 and connected with a thrust bearing at I02 to the upper end of connecting rod I03 which is pivoted to the equalizing lever I04, which is pivoted to the link I06 which is pivoted at I01 to the bracket 98 of the housing I0. The opposite end of the equalizing bar I04 is bifurcated and pivoted to the thrust collar I08 which is journaled between the flanges J09 which are fixed to the shaft 95, the above mechanism forming an equalizing gear'to move the cup I00 and the cup H0 in opposite directions simultaneously. These cups I00 and H0 are biased toward each other by the spring III and separated while changing fruits by the lever II2 which is fixed on the shaft 66 and bifurcated at the opposite end to properly engage the flange I09. These cups I00 and I III are preferably made with a conical included angle of 90 and to properly hold the fruit when biased together by the spring III and with the lever H2 in the shown position.

In Fig. 2 the roller H3 is journaled at the end of the lever II4 which is pivoted on the stud H5 which is supported by the housing I0 to which it is aflixed. The lever H4 is biased toward the peach with a comparatively heavy spring IIG mounted in the spring seat II! which is a projection of the housing I0, and has secured to itself near the pivoted end H5 a comparatively light leaf spring II8 biased away from the lever I I4, having an electrical contact point II9, which is grounded to the housing I0, and terminates in the fork I20 which rides the peach lightly. The lever II4 has an insulated adjustable electrical contact point I2I so mounted that when the peach 29 which is held and revolved by the cups I00 and I I0 has been turned to that position at which the roller H3 enters the stem indent, an electrical circuit is completed through the electrical conductor I22 which leads to the electro-ma-gnet I23 in Fig. 1, which is connected to any suitable source of electrical energy (not shown) which is also grounded to the housing I0, to complete the circuit.

The foregoing mechanism is so constructed that the contact points are separated by the light spring tension of the leaf spring H8 at all times except when the roller II3 enters the stem indent, at which time the spring II6 overcomes the comparatively light spring II8, thus forcing the contact points H9 and I2I together; The circuit thus completed energizes the electromagnet I23 which lifts the armature 90 which disconnects the clutch and instantly sets the brake as has been previously described, and thus stops the peach with the stem indent in the predetermined position.

In Fig. l the peach I24 is shown in a section taken on the lines XI-XI of Fig. 2 and is held and revolved between and by the rollers I25, which are mounted with the housings 43--44 and shaft 40,.and equipped with the equalizing gear as before described, as well as with an electromagnet operated clutch and brake mechanism such as was previously'described at 96 and 99 of Fig. 5. In Fig. 1 the levers I26 and I21 are freely pivoted to the housing 44 at I28 and held in contact with the peach by gravity. The lever I 21 carries the grounded to housing I0 contact point I29 and terminates in a disc with a comparatively large radius best shown in Fig. 10, which also shows the comparatively small radius of the finger I20. The finger I26, Fig. 1, carries the insulated adjustable contact point I30 connected to the electro-magnet I3I by the electric wire I32. These points I29 and I30 are adjusted so that they will make contact only when a sharp seam similar to the seam I33 in the peach I24 in Fig. 10 permits the small radius of lever I26, Fig. 10, to overrun the larger radius of lever I21.

' Thus occasional flat spots or bruises from handling are prevented from operating the stopping and braking mechanism, this stopping and braking mechanism being similar to that which has been previously described in Fig. 5, parts No. I9, 96 and 99.

This seam detecting mechanism can be made still more selective by elongating the axial length of the seam entering short radius of the lever I26.

In Fig. 6, which shows the inspection station. the shaft 66 has affixed thereto the lever I34 pivoted to the connecting rod I 35 which passes freely through a slot in the bellcrank I36 and terminates in a flange I31 which will not pass through this slot. The bellcrank I36 is pivoted at I38 to the lug of the housing I0 and has a pivot I39 to support the lever I40 and terminates in a semi-annular seat IM to fit the base of the averthetongs I8. The top of lever I40 is bent and passes through the center of the seat I, while the lower end is pivoted to the connecting rod I42 which is pivoted to the bellcrank I43 which is pivoted on the lug extension of the housing I0, while the opposite end is pivoted to the upright spacing bar I44.

The spacing bar I44 is provided with a counterweight to bias the top of the bar I44 toward the left in Fig. 6. The tongs operating bar I45 must slide from the position shown, to the left, approximately against the wall of the housing I5 and back again, this lateral motion being derived, through suitable means (not shown) from the pitting machine II.

This bar I45 is so adjusted that when in the position shown in Fig. 2, it will engage the ends of the gear segments 28 and open the tongs I8 at all operating stations except station G in Fig. 2, which is shown in transverse section in Fig. 6. This exception at station G is accomplished by notching the bar I45 as at I48 to a depth greater than the travel required by the segments 28 to fully open the tongs I8. The top of the spacing bar I44 in Fig. 6 is of the same dimensions as, and

registers with, the notch I48, so that when the bar I44 is raised while the bar I45 is in the leftward position, into the notch I46, a movement of the bar I45 to the rightward position will open the tones at station G the same as at the other.

stations. I

In Fig. 6 a downward movement of the lever I34 pulls the top of the bellcrank I36 away from the fruit I48 which is necessary when changing fruits, and the return stroke with its over trav el permits the seat I 'to be biased by the counterweight I41 to contact the peach I48 regardless of the size of the latter. When the peach I48 is properly orientated the top or bentend of the lever I48 will enter the stem indent and position the spacing bar I44 as shown. However, should the peach I48 be improperly orientated; that is, having the stem indent in any other relative position, the lever I45 will be forced to the right in Fig. 6 relative to seat I, which will raise the bar I44 to result in opening the tongs I8, as previously described, thus dropping the peach I48 into the reject discharge chute I49 which is secured to the housing III. 1

Fig. 7 shows a transverse sectional view of the transfer station where the properly orientated fruit is fed to the pitting machine I I, only a fragmentary section of which is shown, having the stationary opposed knifelike guideways I50 to guide and support the fruit.

The orientator has a short section of similar but separable guideways I5I registering when advanced, with the stationary guideways I 58. The guideways I5I are secured to the stems I52 which are slidably mounted in the housing I8 and frame 56, and positively opened and closed by the links I53 and I54, which are pivoted to the double bellcrank I55 which is secured to the shaft 56 and actuated by the connecting rod I56 leading to the pitting machine II by which it is actuated.

v Fig. 2 shows a push bar I51 supported and actuated by the pitting machine II. In Fig. l the pulleys 42 and 91 which drive the fruit revolving mechanisms are driven by a belt I58 which is interwoven between the various pulleys in order to drive each, and then passing to and back from the pitting machine II, by which it is driven (see also Fig. 2).

The pitting machine II 'of necessity has a cam shaft (not shown) to operate and synchronize the pitting mechanism, and inasmuch as the orientating must also be synchronized in step with the pitting, it is in the interests of convenience, accuracy of synchronization and economy to use this pre-existing cam shaft to operate and synchronize the orientating mechanisms.

The functions to be thus operated and syn chronized are, first, the endless chain I4 (Fig. 1) opening the tongs I8, raising and lowering the revolving rollers 48 and I25, the cups IOU-III and the guideways I5I. Also retracting the inspecting levers I48-I4I, as well as raising and lowering the frame 52, which carries the tip cutof! knives 49 and the fingers 18 at station D; all of which must be advanced or operated intermittently as previously described.

Operation After a particular peach finally reaches the extreme bottom of the hopper 24, or the free space between the hopper and the tones, it will drop into the opening between the tongs II which are being forced open by cam 89, and be carried forward step by step until it reaches the station A, where due to the termination of the cam 89, the tongs I8 will grip the peach, due to pressure of the spring I9, Fig. 2.

The tongs I8 still gripping the peach 2I will on the next cycle carryit forward to the tip removing station at B,- where the peach 2I is clamped between the two rollers 46 of Fig. 1, which are not revolving at this time. Instantly, upon the completion of the chain I4 advance, five objects are completed simultaneously. Firstly, the tip cut-ofl knives 49 and the fingers III which are all carried by the frame 52 are lowered to position as shown in Fig. 1. Secondly, the rollers 48 and I25 and the cups IOU-I III are advanced to contact and hold and later to revolve their respective fruits, being biased thereto by the springs 48 and III. Thirdly, the inspection levers I4Il-I4I are biased to operating position by the counterweight I41. The object of providing a flexible means for bringing the rollers and inspection levers into contact with the fruit is, first to prevent bruising the fruit, and second to accommodate the variations in both size and profile. Fourthly, the retractable guideways I5l are brought into a positive. operating engagement with the fruit, the entering edge of the guideways I5| being sharpened to cut into the fruit as shown in Fig. '7, all the four preceding objects being con trolled by the pitting machine II through the rod I58 of Fig. '7, and the shaft 68 as previously described. Fifthly, the source of electrical energy for operating the electro-magnets is restored by foregoing operations are completed the pitting machine will advance the tongs operating bar I45, thus opening the tongs so the fruit is free to be revolved, or to drop into the reject chute I49 if improperly orientated at this station.

Upon completion of the above, the belt I58 is immediately started by the pitting machine I I and run far enough to turn each of the revolving fruit at least one and one-eighth revolutions by means previously described. However, the fruit at the orientating stations D, E and F, will be revolved only until the stem indent or seam registers with the detecting means, which will instantly stop the revolution of the fruit as previously described. The tip cut-off knives 49 should be set at a cutting angle that will not pare the peach but which will remove a protuberance such as the tip. With two knives 49, as shown in Fig. 2, each of which encircle slightly more than 45 of the p e riphery of the fruit, it is obvious that a full revolution of the fruit will subject the tip to the cutting action of either one knife 46 or the other, provid ing the tip lies within an arc of from 45 to 90 of a transverse horizontal axis. See Fig. 2-st'ation B. However, should the tip be positioned between and 45 from the horizontal transverse axis, and so as not to fall in the plane covered by the knives at station B, the knives at station C will sever the tip in the next cycle, because they are set at 90? from those at station B, the rollers 46 at station C being also turned 90 in order to revolve the fruit accordingly. I

Operation of the belt I58 will simultaneously sever the tip and orientate both the stem indent and the seam. At the same time levers Ill-I42 will inspect for proper orientation and the pitting machine i I will operate the push bar I51 to transfer the peach to the pitting machine and return the push bar .I'I to the shown position in Fig. '1; all the foregoing while the chain I4 is at rest, and in accordance with the previous description.

Upon completion of the foregoing, the pitting machine now operates to stop the belt I58 and to retract the tongs operating bar I45 permitting the tongs I8 to again grip the fruit, and also to disconnect the source of electrical energy from the electro-magnets.

As soon as the fruit is secured by the tongs, the shaft 66 is operated, as previously described, to retract all the rollers 66 and I25, the cups I00 IIIl, the inspection lever I40, the guideways I5I, the knives 69 and the fingers 10. As soon as all these have been retracted to clear the path of the fruit, the pitting machine advances the chain I4 and consequently the tongs and fruit one station to the right in. Fig. 1, thus completing the cycle, which is now ready to be repeated.

Fig. 11 shows means for orientating fruit to a stem end down position, which is preferable in many instances. This figure shows a fruit I60 which has just been orientated by the serrated roller I 6|, which is secured to the shaft I62 which is journaled in a lug (notshown) of the housing I0, and suitably and intermittently revolved by the pitting machine I I through means not shown. The fruit I60 is shown resting on the shallow concave, conical face I63 of the housing I0. The relative size of the roller IN to the stem indent in particular (and the fruit being orientated in a lesser degree) is very important, as is also the face I63 in its relation to the roller I6I. The optimum relative size of the roller I6I is that which is as large as possible (to better revolve the fruit) yet small enough to project into the concave seat I63 far enough to revolve the fruit at all times when the stem indent is in any other relative position than down, as shown by the heavy lines I60. When the fruit is in this position the roller I6I must also be small enough toclear the stem indent, so that when a fruit is carried to the orientating station with the stem. indent in some other position than down (such as shown by the broken line I64), by the tongs I8 while being clamped about the fruit as previously described, and while the roller l6l is stationary, the

tongs I8 will then be opened far enough to permit the fruit to revolve, yet close enough to form a guide to retain the fruit directly over the roller I6 I which is then revolved in either direction and with it the fruit, until the latter has reached the position shown at I60 where the roller I6I will continue to turn, but the fruit will stop, as it is now supported bythe face I63 and the roller I6I is turning freely in the indent.

In actual practice it has been found that the proportions, shown in Fig. 11 are very satisfactory and that the fruit revolves so erratically that it is invariably properly orientated to a stem down position before the fruit has made five revolu- 'tions.

After the roller I6I has completed a predetermined number of revolutions the roller is stopped, the tongs then close about the fruit I60 and are raised to clear the fruit from the seat I63 and the tongs are carried by the chain It as previously described to the next station and the cycle repeated.

Fig. 12 shows means to inspect the fruit for proper orientation (and reject all that is not properly orientated) in a stem downward position. In this design the frame I0 is provided with a lug I66 having a pivot I61 for the balance lever I68 which terminates at one end in the counterweight I69 which must be lighter than the fruit, and at the opposite end in an annular seat I to support the fruit "I. An inspecting finger I12 is pivoted at I13 to the lever I68 and provided with a counterweight I14 which also serves as a latch and is fitted to catch on the pin I15 which i is secured to and projects from the lug I 66.

In operation the tongs I0 are provided with means (not shown) for a vertical movement sufficient to lower the fruit Ill into the seat I10 before the tongs I8 are opened. The finger I12 is so fitted that improper orientation of the fruit I1I.will raise latch' I14 from the pin I15 so that the improperly orientated fruit will be spilled oiT the seat I10, which will then be returned to the shown position by the counterweight I69.

"It will thus be seen that I have provided a machine which v while full automatic, will orientate and pit fruits along a definite and predetermined axis, and thus mechanically perform operations heretofore only possible by slow, tedious manual work.

Furthermore, the uniformity of output is even better than with manual pitting and the production is high compared to prior methods of orientated pitting. It will also be obvious that uniform pitting along a definite axis insures a quality of output which will bring high prices with the best eye value.

While I have seen fit to describe my invention as applied to peaches and in a preferred form, equivalent means will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art or through the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a clamp operable to hold and release a fruit, means for positioning a fruit in said clamp to be held thereby. fruit surface contacting means of an extent sufficient to bridge the stem indent of the fruit in said clamp, and

tacting means for controlling the holding and releasing of said fruit in said clamp.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1. wherein said contacting means is mounted on an arm held against said fruit-by a counterweight.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said contacting means and said lever both are mounted on an arm held against said fruit by a counterweight.

4.Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein means are provided to move both said lever and said contacting means away from said fruit to allow movement of said clamp.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein means are provided to move both said lever and said contactingmeans away from said fruit to allow movement of said clamp, and wherein a succession of clamps and held fruit are presented to said contacting means and lever in timely relation to the movement thereof.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1,-

wherein the clamp is controlled-to hold the fruit in the clamp when the lever passes through the contacting means into the stem indent of the fruit, and to release said fruit if the lever is blocked from movement through said contacting.

means by presentation of fruit surface other than said indent.

'7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1-, wherein the clamp is controlled to hold the fruit in the clamp when the lever passes through the contacting means into the stem indent of the fruit, and to release said fruit if the lever is blocked from movement through said contacting means by presentation of fruit surface other than said indent, and wherein means are provided below said clamp to receive released fruit.

8. In combination with means operating on a fruit to orientate said fruit with the stem indent in a predetermined position, clamp means for holding fruit subjected to said orientation operation, means for moving held fruit to an inspecting position, surface contacting means movable at that position to contact said fruit over an area thereof where said stem indent should be if properly orientated, said contacting means being too large to substantially enter said stem indent, and trigger means moving with said contacting means adapted U0 enter said stem indent it presented to said contacting means, and means actuated by motion of said trigger means relative to said contacting means for opening said clamp and releasing the fruit held therein.

9. A position inspector for fruit comprising a clamp, means for closing and opening said clamp to hold and release a fruit, trigger means posi'- tioned to enter the stem indent of the fruit when said stem indent is in a desired position, and means operated by said trigger to open said clamp when said trigger dam not enter said stem indent.

10. A position inspector for fruit comprising a' clamp, means for closing and opening said clamp to hold and release a fruit, trigger means positioned to enter the stem indent of the fruit when said stem indent is in a desired position, means operated by said trigger to open said clamp when said trigger does not enter said stem indent, and means for positioning said trigger over the area where said stem indent is desired at a predetermined average distance from the bottom of the stem lndents of the fruits being inspected.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein means are provided to substitute a new fruit for the fruit inspected after inspection thereof.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein means are provided to substitute a new fruit-for the fruit inspected after inspection thereof.

13. Fruit inspection apparatus comprising means for holding a fruit, pilot means contacting a convex surface of said fruit, trigger means movable with relation to said pilot means to enter the stem indent of said fruit if presented thereto, and means connecting said trigger means with said holding means to release said fruit when said trigger means does not enter said stem indent.

14. Fruit inspection apparatus comprising means for holding a fruit, pilot means contacting a convex surface of said fruit, trigger means movable with relation to said pilot means to enter the stem indent of said fruit if presented thereto, and means operated by the relative position of said trigger means with relation to said pilot means for controlling said holding means.

15. A position inspector for fruit comprising a clamp, means for closing and opening said clamp to hold and release a fruit, trigger means 

